Literature Review on Monitoring of Electricity Generated by Biodegradable Sugarcane Waste in Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Biodegradable sugar waste, derived from sugary sources like food scraps, agricultural residues, and industrial byproducts, holds immense potential for generating electricity. This waste is rich in carbohydrates, which can be converted into energy through various biological processes like anaerobic digestion, microbial fuel cells, and gasification. Utilizing this waste for electricity generation offers numerous benefits, including reducing dependence on fossil fuels, minimizing landfill waste, and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. However, challenges like technology development, cost-effectiveness, feedstock availability, and potential environmental impacts need to be addressed for wider adoption. Overall, biodegradable sugar waste presents a promising avenue for clean and sustainable electricity generation, and continued research and development efforts hold the key to unlocking its full potential. Bagasse is the residue obtained from crushing cane in the sugar factory. It contains 50% moisture & 2% sugar & the balance is fiber. Historically, bagasse waste has been burned in the fields, thereby creating pollution. For every 10 tonnes of sugarcane crushed, a sugar factory produces nearly 3 tonnes of wet bagasse by making use of bagasse sugar industry has been successful in reducing dependence on State Electric Boards; for their power supply as it can procure up to 90-95% of its total power requirement through captive generation from steam turbines. The Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) has been declaring attractive tariffs for co-generation power projects from time to time. This has resulted in 110 co-generation power projects totalling 1775.85 MW commissioned in the state.